Chapter 96:
Even though Hiruzen was being generous, Orochimaru knew better. The black market price for fifty doses of the diluted genetic enhancement fluid was around 75 million ryo far more than the 10 million he was being handed now. Still, Orochimaru accepted it without complaint.
Ten million ryō isn't bad, but the real profit is still ahead,Orochimaru thought.
After handing Hiruzen the two prepared potions from his scroll, Orochimaru left the Hokage's office. He knew that as the lead researcher on this project, he could control the pace of production and delivery, and Hiruzen wouldn't question him. The Hokage was well aware of how valuable these potions were and trusted Orochimaru implicitly.
Hiruzen, on the other hand, understood that the payment was too little for what Orochimaru was delivering. But as his disciple, Orochimaru hadn't asked for any official funding. This was the best Hiruzen could offer as a gesture of appreciation.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru casually strolled through the village streets, the 60 million ryo from his black market dealings already resting comfortably in his pocket. He couldn't help but marvel at how easily he was able to make money.
Other ninjas take on dangerous missions for mere tens of thousands or, at best, a few million ryo. Meanwhile, I can earn tens of millions with minimal effort.
If this were the modern world, Orochimaru thought with a smirk, it would be the ultimate rags-to-riches story. The weakened versions of his genetic enhancement and healing fluids were already popular, but if he introduced something more powerful, like the gene fusion fluid, the entire ninja world would be thrown into chaos.
After all, gene fusion could theoretically create someone with the power of the First Hokage.
But Orochimaru knew better than to release such power into the hands of others. He understood that giving too much power too soon would make people uncontrollable. History had already shown what happened when people were given too much strength, like Kaguya's two sons who betrayed their own mother after inheriting her abilities.